New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-06
THE DRAMA.
FIFTH AVENUE THEATRE

FIFTH AVENUE THFArRE-ALLAN DANE.
A confused, perplexing, boisterous and often ao-
surd melo drama OF the old Jack Sheppard anu 'oA
than Wild ORDER brought forward iaS' hisn. III
the Fifth Avenue Theatre under the haho VI |n,a
Dare.p and it was received with attention ana WIN
considerable applause by numerous q semoiaeo oi
nersons more remarkable for good nature than ior
discrimination Tho fact that the piece was uhocr
stood to have been based upon popular hoNoi " ~
esteemed member of the naval service AdniraA ~ ~
Porter may no doubt be held to explain tho toio anu
temper of the house. There was great need Oh pa
tience especially during the earlier scenes Oh inns pio
ductlon--and the need gracefully supplid Al
Ian Dare Is comprised In prologue and hVe ac's.
Tho action Ia supposed begin In the year looo, az
Manchester by. the Sea" and to continue In lou
at New York. Manchester, Mass-neVer caheo NY
its fashionable designation till within inc last toh
year-dd not exist in 1900, except as sparse se''o
ment of fishermen and other maritime people new
York I'm 1920 scarcely more than DIG 'haso'
Neither place furnished warrant for the opulent RAJ
ment which was profusey bestowed upon their IN
habtants last night. Proclamation nan Dcen ma'io
by the management that tho period OF Ieooio@o -
the most interesting In American history Dull "r
what the authorities omitted to state Inc chio
n,crest which appertans to the people VI Manchester
and all along Cape Ann at that time Is that tnoy na
little or nothing TO eat. and every oppor unity, en
fore to manifest that hariihood OF CONSTITUTIONS wiz, ~
has enabled some of them VINO Wero 'hC" i'i"o W.
remain cxtant In the present day 10
However. importance OF this meio drama 70 ,l,o
public does not depend upon question OF nlssof.o
nerod but rather upon that Of its inherent power 10
entertain Nothing IS gained by setting story Oh
hefcatchng back to the days Of the BABY WAIST anu
the pigtail. II such themes could De SET oach my
the dark ages-and left there-the public taste wouo
no improyed and the art of acting would gain ue
cldel advantage. " Allan Dare may be pied'ine
novel; with plenty Of historical color In IL, out, aso
from many capital dresses and some good lur."rs
the Fedela al day, the play contained no historical
tlnge or flavor Allan Ds-e' a set forh oy ,ho
thirty.two players who took part 10 us repieseh.&
tlon, clumsily tells q romantic story In wh'ch wv
brothers, stolen when children, and Separated Decoo
opposed and confronted In after life, the one a. an
intrepid detective. full Of resources and oil courage
the other as an expeditions and muIderous roOOer,
with an Unsuitable appetite for money ana adventure
The one brother being in pursuit of the other, and
each being in ignorance Of tho truth as 10 their rea
tionship, a telling situation naturally results wheh
the detective able at last to arrest the rascc "hom
he has long pursued, is made TO recognize MS own
brother. and forbear to make the capture one or
moments of suspense for the audience preceae
this climax. Allan drives Robert haru ann Is OUT
wltcd by him. The brave boy who took the buliers
out Of the guns In Don Cgsar' Is resuscitateh 10
assist Allan, and he did IT with interesting expert
ness. II was made known tat ho habitualiy slept
I'm barrel, and indeed be appeared with his haoita
ton upon a wheelbarrOw.
This play would doubtless be inelligble TO persons
who have read Admiral Porter's novel, but II Is hot
Instructive within Itself The disclosure OF the plot
"a effected not by action, but by long narratives chier
" and almost inadiby spoken by an aged person who
said that he had lost his reason. No wonder
Irubabjy he had been rying ~ certain what 1t was
all about. The scene In tho police ofco came near
being guy. The person who played the cher ought
to arrest himself Immediately and 90 into solitary
confinement. " Allan Dane" originally acted
I'm San Francisco where tho brothers, Allan and
Robert were played by Mckee Rankin and Frederick
he BollevLo Lat night they were unprecedented IN
n wooden manner but with liberal gasconade, by Mr.
Fra X CARLYLE aud Mr. Wilton Lackaye. There are
several good bits OF character work sprlnAcd along
the limo VI tho representation. Hans imme, oy
Inko Martin, L. OF these. Seven scenes are sot'
but only tho marine painting Is especially mo
Allan Dare will rank with such works as " Tho
Romany Rye" and doubt will have good business
su cess but nothing to the stage IL has no
value and It will vanish with the rest Of the lumber
OF this queer period OF cachpenny experiments upon
public crcdulty and folly.